In a seven-goal thriller at Kingsmeadow, Chelsea Women came out of a deceptively tough match against Leicester City with a 5-2 win, maintaining our three-point lead at the top of the Women’s Super League table.

Despite racing into a two-goal lead inside the first five minutes, we didn’t have things all our own way, though. That left Emma Hayes with mixed feelings, especially after allowing our opponents to get back to 3-2 by half-time with their high-tempo, physical approach.

‘Maybe it was too good a start,’ considered Hayes. ‘I think they were gifted goals for us. Sometimes you think: “here we go, it’s 2-0, it’s going to be one of those days”. Nine times out of 10 the opposite thing happens.

‘In fact, almost every football match I’ve ever coached, going 2-0 so early is such a terrible scoreline in some respects, because then you get sloppy. We won 30 per cent of our duels in the first half, that was a season low for us. All the little things, for me, were poor.

‘But I will not focus on them because the team have been tremendous during this entire block. Once again we looked threatening going forward and once again we had a variety of goal scorers.’

Indeed we did, with Lauren James bagging a brace and playing a huge part in Leicester’s own goal, while being joined on the scoresheet by Sam Kerr and substitute Aggie Beever-Jones.

The Blues’ attacking play certainly seems to be giving Hayes a lot of satisfaction recently, having now scored 23 goals across our last five league fixtures, as well as the players’ ability to keep performing to such a high standard week after week.

‘We were the ones who had the fast start and that was the challenge I set the team. I say it time and time again how hard it is to go and keep going and always be the best team on the pitch and always play at your best level.

‘When you live this life you know how taxing it is. So to keep producing performances and getting results like we do, averaging four or five goals a game, it’s probably the best we’ve been going forward in a long time, in my eyes.’

Emma also discussed the form and fitness of Fran Kirby, who played the first 75 minutes as our manager continues to ease the England international back into the team following an extended spell on the sidelines.

‘I thought she could have played for 90, but she knows I’m going to send her into the international break in a fresh place, because this is part of the challenge. A lot of Fran’s injuries or illness has come with a quick build to something, so I’ve been really patient and will remain that way until at least Christmas.

‘I thought in the second half she started to look her old self, in terms of getting a bit sharper to try to get beyond players. I still think that will take some time but her presence and her ability to link-up; her, Sam and LJ were absolutely brilliant at times.

‘The next step for her is the out-of-possession part and the transitions, but it will come. When you’re out for six months in this business, the level’s so quick it takes time, but she’s getting there.’

Finally, there was further praise for young striker Beever-Jones, who impressed off the bench again by finding the net for the fifth consecutive WSL match.

‘She’s a very good option to have on the bench, especially when an opponent starts tiring,’ added Hayes. ‘She’s so clinical. I think that’s eight chances all year and five goals. She’s a natural goal scorer, she really is.’